Shackles of Fate [A Progression Fantasy LitRPG]

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Elaria was really damn good at her job. I mean really damn good. One of the greatest investigative journalists to ever grace the planet, she was able to expose any hidden secret or insidious corruption, revealing it to the world at large. Unfortunately, no matter how talented or famous one is, escaping the grasp of death is an impossibility, and in a shocking turn of events, Elaria loses her life in the prime of her career. However, things are not over yet for the intrepid woman, and due to the meddling influence of a foreign entity, she is pulled into a completely different realm of existence and granted a second chance at life, in the fantastical world of Teron.

In her new world magic and marvels are commonplace, but daily life is full of hardship and struggle, with harsh environmental conditions and the threat of monsters presenting a unique challenge to survival. Growing up in Teron, Elaria faces adversity like never before, but also experiences the warmth and love of those around her, something she hadn't felt for a long time in her previous life. On their tenth birthday, every single person in Teron undergoes a unique ritual known as the birthing ceremony, which unlocks hidden abilities, with each person receiving a "personal ability" which allows them to wield strength unlike any regular human.

It also allows them to access the Chain, a unifying system of power that they can use to increase their own abilities through activities like monster hunting, crafting or magic. Thanks to her divine patron, and impressive life experience, Elaria awakens a powerful ability, and decides to leave her home to make her way to the capital of her kingdom, in order to try her hand at the life of an adventurer.

Follow our heroine as she makes her way through her second chance at life, seeking fame and glory all while figuring out her talents and unlocking the secrets behind the mysterious Chain, and the powerful entity who brought her here. There might even be a sprinkle of romance and flirting along the way, who knows?

What to Expect?

5 New chapters per week, updating Mon-Fri

Progressive character and world development with exponentially increasing power scales

LitRPG with typical fantasy elements, as well as a blend of other genres in the future

Long lasting story with hundreds of planned chapters

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2023
Author: Arachnodoll

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.4/ 5.0
Followers: 61
Views: 23,493

Chapters(39 total)

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(4)

FeynixRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I am enthusiastically giving this one 5 stars.
This story deserves a TON of attention.
The formatting is fantastic, I didn't read this on mobile, so not sure if it carries over well there, but everything was very clear and up front.
Zel is great. I was just as excited to read their messages as I was the other parts of the story.
Speaking of the story...this hits hard. It doesn't mask what it is in the slightest. Without going into any spoilers (just go read it. You'll love it), you quickly get a sense for how this world is, and it doesn't seem like it's a fantastic place for many people. The prose is well crafted and I enjoyed reading every bit of the story.
The grammar is on point I did not notice any glaring errors. I think I came across one small typo in my read through and if I find it again, I will add an edit suggestion in the comment.
Elaria is where it shines. She was both dealt a really raw hand but a boon all the same and she makes the most of the new world she's in. It's nice to see an MC in these stories who is smart and strategic instead of just a powerful brute that wins everything because they're simply too strong.
She's a thinker and strategic in her actions and it's wonderful to see the tactics play out in the MCs eyes.
I finished everything that was posted up to CH 20 so far and it definitely makes me want more of it. I will be following this for sure and looking forward to the notifications as they come out.
TheGreatGazpachoRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Review Swap at Chapter 20
Style/Grammar: I didn't come across any major grammatical errors. Overall, the text was easy to read, and scenes with heavy action and combat were followable and understandable. The " game UI " and system conveyed in the narrative is streamlined, possibly a little basic, but conveys the right amount of information to the reader in a straightforward manner.
Story/Character: While it's certainly a bit cliche to have a car accident be the catalyst for reincarnation in narratives like this, the exciting story and compelling character of Elaria more than make up for it. Elaria is enjoyable to follow; she feels like a reasonably fleshed-out character that you'd want to root for as she potentially stomps out the world's evil, achieves her goals, and learns more about the world. The narrative also introduces a curious mystery of why Elaria gets special treatment from the overseer of the game/worlds, Zel. As an entity, Zel pops up enough to remain in the reader's mind to ask questions about this person's potential motives.
Speaking of mysteries, Elaria's prominent ability adds a fun amount of mystery and whimsy to situations. The ability to acquire random objects with or without context to her current predicament can lead to potentially very chaotic or clever problem-solving. I'm interested in seeing how this ability pans out for the future.
Overall, this well-crafted story provides a fun story and intriguing mysteries that a reader would be interested in.
Magius SwiftscaleRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
This one is interesting right out of the gate. No traditional Truck-Kun, just some bad luck and awakening in a world that would make Geralt of Rivia say that this world is crap-sack thus far. The monsters are plentiful, the nobility I despise with a passion, and Elaria right in the middle of it, trying to find her place in it.
Style wise, there's no pulled punches. The nobility are sheer tyrrany and they make it clear with instant executions and beating kids who don't know better than to keep their head down. The battles are visceral and flow quite well. It's quite well paced this far for 20 chapters, even if this isn't quite out of the 'tutorial zone'.
Story wise, I can see this taking a few different paths. Elaria has a second shot at life and is living to make something of herself, following her friends footsteps. But she's also got a good heart, having taken on formidable odds, possibly for XP, but also borne of a curiosity to dive for answers on why monsters are being so aggressive and understanding her world. I will say though that she's about to move some game pieces on the more than local stage after her stunt in chapter 20, so, this should be good!
I like that Elaria is no dummy and plans out her strategies and choices methodically. She might be a little bold relying on luck, but apparently it counts for a lot in this world! There's also the question of her father Darius because it's hinted at he probably wasn't always a farmer, and the love and caring he has for her should serve to guide her well. Wren is the veteran soldier who clearly has some reservations about the barony, but has to keep in line within reason so he can keep his neck unsevered and help others discretely.
Grammar has been spot on. The descriptors are crisp, and errors are non-existent.
Anyway, short version, I came here for a read as a favor, not knowing what I'd find. What I found is something I want to continue reading and I'm excited to see where it goes!
Little RacoonRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
For a reincarnation story, Shackles of Fate propels the reader into a rather depressing, oppressive world. With little room to breathe, the reader can only follow the protagonist as she tries to find her footing and build her new second life.
Style: 4/5. The style in general is quite good and informative, yet sometimes the author goes a bit too far and the narration ends up becoming a little bit of an infodump. However, this is counterbalanced by the strong depictions of the unfairness and oppression that goes on in the world, shown through the body language and dialogue of characters.
Story: 4.5/5. Not a very comfy plot with recurring themes of oppression and corruption, but it makes the reader root for the protagonist as she tries to establish herself and struggle in this alien world.
Grammar: 4/5. There is a good chunk of chapter 2 where the switch between 1st and 3rd person POV can feel quite disorienting, but other than that, the grammar is good.
Character: 4.5/5. The author builds strong character personalities which evoke different emotional responses from the reader. From the hatred of the nobles to the pity and fear for the local villagers, those emotions are all expressed well through the perspective of the main character.
The story is a unique take on isekai and the author isn't afraid to dive into darker themes as the main character develops through the story. Though there are bits that can be improved, overall it is a very solid read.